Tray supporting means



Nov. 14, i950 w. MGARTHUR TRAY SUPPORTING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 16, 1946 H U M mm w WR m w WM m MW T. mf. E R Z v WW2. d w NN w U Nov. 14, i950 w. MGARTHUR TRAY SUPPORTING MEANS IN VENTOR.

ATTORAEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v INVEN TOR. [M4/@REN Mc ARTHUR W. M C:A RTH U R TRAY SUPPORTING MEANS Nov. 14, i950 Filed Nov. 16, 1946 l-LNN Q Wws m IES Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAY SUPPORTING MEANS the United States Application November 16, 1946, Serial No. 710,331

Claims.

This invention relates to an article of manufacture, and more particularly to means for supporting a tray or the like.

The apparatus of this invention has wide application and may be advantageously employed in conjunction with various types of seating equipment, and especially with aircraft seats. As will be apparent from the detailed description further along herein, a plurality of tray supporting arms and associated devices are slidably disposed within a hollow support, such as the arm of a chair, and are maintained completely hidden from view at such times as the tray arms are out of active use, due to the action of a detent means. The parts are so arranged that, upon release of the detent means, the tray arms and related devices may be readily protracted with respect to the hollow support, whereupon the arms are pivoted to upright position to receive and support a suitable tray or similar device in convenient location with respect to the occupant of the chair.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide an improved tray support of the character indicated.

The invention has for another object the provision of supporting means for a tray or the like, wherein a plurality of tray arms are adapted to be disposed within a hollow Support, such as a hollow arm rest, at such times as they are out of active use.

Another object of the invention is to provide tray supporting means wherein certain of the parts are telescopically arranged with respect to other parts and are adapted to be readily placed into and out of active service.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible tray supporting means capable of performing its intended functions in an effective and trouble-free manner.

The foregoing objects, as well as other objects, together with the advantages obtainable by the practice of this invention, Will be understood by persons skilled in the art upon reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, that respectively describe and illustrate apparatus embodying a preferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a chair having the tray supporting means of this invention operatively associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the chair and associated devices shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view ,taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view taken along line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figures '1 and 8 are views corresponding to Figures 3 and 4, respectively, and show the parts in another relative position;

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 9 9 of Figure '1;

Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional View taken along line Ill-I0 of Figure '1 Figure ll is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of Figure 7; and

Figure l2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line I2--I2 of Figure '1.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated therein a chair I5 that comprises a pair of side frames I6, preferably of welded tubular construction, each of which consists of a front leg I1, a rear leg I8, a side stretcher I9 and a hollow arm rest or support 20. Side frames I6 are maintained in spaced-apart parallel relation by suitable devices including a front stretcher 2 I. The chair preferably includes a cushioned seat 22 and a cushioned back 23 of any desired construction.

Each hollow support is preferably formed from a section of square tubing having a bottom wall 25, a top wall 26, and side walls 21. A pair of apertures for receiving a locking pin, that will be hereinafter described, are formed in one of side Walls 21. An angle bracket 3l, secured to bottom wall 25 by a rivet 32 (Figure 8), serves as a closure for the rear end of hollow support 20 and also as a support fora coil spring 33 that is secured to the Vertical ange of bracket 3| by a bolt 34 and a nut 35, and that is positioned within hollow support 20 in spaced relation to its defining walls. Wholly within hollow support 20 and attached to bottom wall 25 by a series of rivets 36 is a C-shaped track 31.

A generally channel-shaped member 40 is telescopically arranged with respect to hollow support 20. Member 40 consists of a web 4I, side anges 42, an integral rear end plate 43, and a front end plate or escutcheon 44 having a ring insert 45. Secured to the under surface of web 4I by rivets 46 is a channel runner 41 adapted to be inserted in and slidable along track 31.

Members 40 is adapted to be maintained in the fully telescoped position with respect to hollow support 2G by a detent means that will now be described. This detent means includes a bell crank G that is pivotal about a bolt 5|, extending upwardly through web lll, and that is secured in spaced relation to member 4u by a spacer sleeve 52 and a nut 53 (bigure l0). One end o1' bell crank 5t is pivotally connected by a pin 5d to the bifurcated end portion or a detent or locking pin 55 that is movable through a side liange l2 and that is provided with a shoulder 56 (Figure ll). With the parts arranged in the relative position shown in Figures 7 and 1l, the iree end of pin 55 is in registration with rearward aperture 30. A locking bar 51 is connected to the other end of bell crank 58 by a pivot pin 58. The forward end portion of bar 5l is bent upwardly and carries a button release oil that projects through and beyond ring insert 45. A helical spring 6I is connected at one end to pivot pin 53 and at its other end to web 4I. This spring is stressed in tension at all times and, as viewed in Figure '1,

normally urges bar 51 toward'the left and detent pin 55 lupwardly and into registration with an aperture 36, as allowed'by shoulder 56.

Each member 4G carries a pair of tray supporting arms 65 that will next be described. rlThese varms are best shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, and

each is machined at one end to form a pair of parallel fingers 66 and a shoulder 61. rIhe major portion of each arm 651s of'channel configuration -and includes aweb 63 and flanges 69 that are .beveled at their free ends, as indicated at 1t (Figure 5). The anges 69 extend beyond web 68 so as-to provide a recess 1I to accommodate locking 1oar 51 when each arm 65 is in upstanding position. vA pin 12 extends across member lil and is journaled in iianges E2'. Arm 65 is pivotal about pin 12 directly'adjacent beveled edges 'i8 and is s'paced'fromV flanges H2 by spacer rings i3. A sleeve 14 mounted on'pin 12 is secured thereto by a cotter pin l5 (Figures 5 and 6) to prevent axial lmovementof pin 12. Upon removal of cotter pin 15, vpin 12' may be withdrawn from member'll to permit arm 65 to bedisconnected from member `30. 'spring 16 is coiled about sleeve 14 and bears against weblll ofrnember "at and web 63 of arm 65, respectively, toV normally 'swing the arms about their respective pivotal connections to the corresponding positions illustrated 'in Figures 1 and 4, at which time the lower extremity of each arm YHarige 69 bears against the upper surface of web 4l to limit pivotal movement of each arm and maintain the arms in upstanding, substantially parallel relation.

The above described apparatus isadapted to support a tray 8i) that is formed with a continuous recess-8l and'tl'iat is provided with suitable openings 82. VWith the palts assembled as shown in FiguresV 1' and 2, fingers ES are received in tray openings 82 and` the tray rests onr shoulders 61 of arms 65.

For the purpose of briefly describing the operation of thisV invention, reference is rst had to Figures '1 and 8 wherein the parts are illustrated in the relative position when they are out of service. VAt s'uch times, member 4% is fully telescoped within hollow support 26, bearing against spring 33 which is stressed in compression, arms 65 are swung about pivot pins 12 and folded within'member 40, fingers G6 contacting the under surface of top wall 26 due tothe action of springs 16. Detent pin'55 registers with rearwardmost aperture 3l) toniaintain support andassociated devices in telescoped position against the action of spring 33. Escutcheon li-i covers Vthe forward end of hollow support 2Q, presenting a ture 30.

4 neat, finished appearance. It will thus be seen that the tray supporting structure is hidden from View when not in active service.

When release button 60 is pressed inwardly or toward the right, as viewed in Figure 8, locking bar 51 is correspondingly moved in the same direction, imparting clockwise pivotal movement to bell crank 55j, as viewed in Figure '1, and placing detent pin 55 out of registration with aperture 36. Member 40 and the devices secured thereto are then protracted forwardly with respect to hollow support 26 by spring 33. Member di) may be extended fully with respect to the hollow support by spring 33 or may be partially extended by the action of this spring, further protraction being effected manually In either event, each arm-65, as it moves beyond the open end orvsupport 2i?, is swung to the upright position illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 4 due to the action of its spring 76. Member 40 is prevented from 'being' accidentally completely withdrawn from support 20 by detent pin 55 which automatically registers with forward aperture 3U (Figure 3) when the member has been moved to normal, fully extended position with respect tov the hollow support.

To return the parts from their relative position shown in Figure 4 to that illustrated in Figure V8, the detent means is manually actuated to place detent pin 55 out of registration with forward aperture 30, and'member 40 is moved inwardly with respect to support 26. Continued inward movement of 'member 40 brings web 63 of rearward arm 65in contact with the front edge of top wall 26, whereupon this arm is swung in a counter-clockwise direction (Figure 4) against the action of'its spring 16. Forward 'armY 65 is manually swung in a clockwise direction (Figure 4) against the action of its spring 16 and held in downward position until its fingers '65 are disposed in the Yforward end of support 2l). Further continued movement of member 4U effects compression of spring 33 and permits locking engagement of detent pin55 withrearward apernl'rom the foregoing, `it is believed that the construction, operation, and Aadvantages of my present invention willbe readily compre'liended by persons skilled in the art. It is to be clearly understood, however, that various changes in the apparatus set forth above may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, it being intended that all matter contained in the description or shown in the drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative' only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In supporting means for a tray or the like, a hollow support, a member'telescopicallymounted in the-support, detent means; forl controlling sliding movement .of the member with respectv to the support, a first arm 'pivotally connected proximate one endtoV the member, a second arm pivotally connected proximate one' end to the member, the axes of the pivotal' connections being substantially parallel, said arms being disposed in the support with their other ends projecting toward each other, means for iir'iparting movement to the arms about their respective`v pivotal connections upon release 'of the detent means and predetermined protracted movement of the Ymember with respect to the support, and" means for limiting said movement of each arinab'out'fits pivotal connection.

2. In supporting means for a tray or the like,

a hollow support, a member telescopically mounted in the support, detent means for controlling sliding movement of the member with respect to the support, a rst arm pivotally connected proximate one end to the member, a second arm pivotally connected proximate one end to the member, the axes of the pivotal connections being substantially parallel to each other and .substantially normal to the path of travel of the member with respect to the support, said arms being disposed in the support with their other ends projecting toward each other, and resilient means for imparting movement to the arms about their respective pivotal connections and for maintaining the arms in p-arallel relationshipupon release of the detent means and predetermined protracted movement of the member with respect to the support.

3. In supporting means for a tray or the like, a hollow support having a plurality of apertures, a member telescopically mounted in the support, a detent pin carried by the member and registering with one of the apertures to control sliding movement of the member with respect to the support, spring-urged means for maintaining the pin in registration with said one 0f the apertures, release means operable from the exterior of the support for placing the pin out of such registration against the action of the spring-urged means, a first arm pivotally connected proximate one end to the member, a second arm pivotally connected proximate one end to the member, the

axes of said pivotal connections being parallel, said arms being disposed in the support with their other ends projecting toward each othery and means for imparting movement to the arms about their respective pivotal connections upon actuation of the release means and predetermined protracted movement of the member with respect to the support.

4. In supporting means for a tray or the like, a hollow support having a plurality of apertures, a member telescopically mounted in the support, a detent pin carried by the member and registering with one of the apertures to control sliding movement of the member with respect to the support, spring-urged means for maintaining the pin in registration with said one of the apertures, release means operable from the exterior of the support for placing the pin out of such registration against the action of the springurged means, a first arm pivotally connected proximate one end to the member, a second arm pivotally connected proximate one end to the member, the axes of said pivotal connections being parallel, said arms being disposed in the support with their other ends projecting toward each other, and resilient means for imparting movement to the arms about their respective pivotal connections and for maintaining the arms in parallel relationship upon actuation of the release means and predetermined protracted movement of the member with respect to the support, said detent pin normally registering with another of said apertures to limit protracted movement of the member with respect to the support.

5. In supporting means for a tray or the like,

va hollow support having a plurality of apertures,

a member telescopically mounted in the support, a detent pin carried by the member and registering with one of the apertures to control sliding movement of the member with respect to the support, spring-urged means for maintaining the pin in registration with said one of the apertures, release means operable from the exterior of the support for placing the pin out of such registration against the action of the spring-urged means, means for effecting protraction of the member upon actuation of the release means, a first arm pivotally connectedproximate one end to the member, a second arm pivotally connected proximate one end to the membery the axes of said pivotal connections being parallel, said arms being disposed in the support with their other ends projecting toward each other, and resilient means for imparting movement to the arms about their respective pivotal connections and for maintaining the arms in parallel relationship upon actuation of the release means and predetermined protracted movement of the member with respect to the support, said detent pin normally registering with another of said apertures to limit protracted movement of the member with respect to the support.

WARREN McARTHUR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 155,187 Enger Sept. 22, 1874 373,303 Patzer Nov. 15, 1887 513,170 Armstrong Jan. 23, 1894 1,042,262 Pelletier Oct. 22, 1912 1,121,698 Weiss Dec. 22, 1914 1,882,264 Thompson Oct. 11, 1932 1,891,691 Runkles Dec. 20, 1932 1,973,521 Bullard Sept. 11, 1934 2,285,845 Stinson June 9, 1942 

